Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
Selling a home is not an easy job, which is why working with a
local realtor is a good idea. They can help you navigate the market, make the
most of your time, and money. Your local realtor can help you avoid these types
of problems.
- Failure to Clear the Clutter/Depersonalizing You want buyers to imagine how they would use the space, and that means they need to see the space. Remove at least half of your things, and put them in storage. And take away most of the personal items. You might think that cross-stitch that says, “Home Sweet Home” your aunt gave you is sweet, but there are buyers who think it’s tacky.
- Asking Price Too High Your house may seem like it’s worth much more than it is. You have an emotional attachment, and memories there, but those don’t translate to market value. Your realtor can help you determine a competitive price for the market.
- Failure to Make Cosmetic Repairs Buyers should see a beautiful home when they walk in the door. That hand smudge your kid left on the door jamb, chipped paint, and dirty grout are things that make your house look like it was neglected. Fixes for these issues are easy, cheap, and make a big difference.
- Either Don’t Fix Problems or Fail to Disclose Them If you know there is a problem, disclose it early and save yourself hassle. Home inspections will reveal it anyway, so why waste time on the market and kill a deal? If possible fix problems. If not, be prepared to be haggled down on the price for at least the cost of the repairs.
- Not Knowing When to Seek Help Going it alone is tempting, but there are so many laws, profuse red tape, market fluctuations, and other factors that can quickly make selling your house a second full time job. You want someone who knows what they’re doing on your side, and that’s where your local realtor can help you.
- Remaining Emotionally Attached to Your Home Sellers should not be around during Open Houses and not take offense to negative feedback on their home from their prospective buyers. Learn from these interactions, and try to fix as many of the issues as possible.
- Skimping on Marketing Photography, video tour, home staging, etc. A good realtor will help you take care of the marketing basics, but a seller should be willing to pay for extras if it helps sell their home faster. Think up some creative ways to really build some excitement, and get your house in front of as many buyers’ eyes as possible.
- Choosing the Wrong Time to Sell Sellers need to consider market conditions (is it a buyer's market or seller/s market?), capital gains tax implications, financial situation, etc. before listing their home. Even a matter of a few weeks can make a lot of difference these days. Your local realtor can help you choose the right time.
Featured Home for Sale in College Station, TX
5302 Riviera Ct, College Station, TX |